Young sea eagles take to Kerry skies

EIGHT young white-tailed sea eagles tentatively flapped their wings and took to the air over Killarney National Park as part of a project to reintroduce them to the south-west.

Among 20 chicks brought here from Norway two months ago, the birds had been kept in cages in a remote area overlooking Lough Lein and flew for the first time.

The remaining 12 eaglets are to be set free later this month and in September, with up 100 being released during a five-year programme.

All the birds have been fitted with coloured tags and carry radio-transmitters that enable them to be tracked in the wild.

Project director Dr Allan Mee hoped the eagles would remain in the Killarney area for a month or two, where they would be provided with food, until they disperse to other parts of Kerry and beyond.

Fifteen eagles had previously been released, but four have since died from poisoning which is the subject of a continuing Garda investigation.

Concerns remain over the threat posed by poisoning.

Dr Mee said the fact that poisoning had been largely confined to one locality, west of the Black Valley, suggested the problem was not widespread.

Also, fears the eagles would kill young lambs had not been borne out.

“There is a lot of genuine goodwill. I hope that the more people become familiar with the birds any of the worries they may have had will disappear,” he added.

* All sightings can be reported to Dr Mee at 087-3117608 or [e-mail].